Turn Back My Fire Heart
by Dstar504
Summary: Hara Setsuna is the captain of the 14th Division, these are the other stories of her journey. A continuation of Fire Heart these are side stories based on that story that didn't quite fit anywhere. Paring(s) are: Byakuya/OC and OC/OC. Expect Manga Spoilers. Rated M just in case, although right now the story is T.
1. The Blade Speaks

The Story of Bleach told through the eyes of one Hara Setsuna (most of the time), Captain of the 14th. As a Captain do not expect her to be all sunshine and roses. Byakuya/OC for some of these stories, the only other paring is OC/OC. **All Manga Spoilers are Now Live.**

_**A/N: I'm back! I took a much needed break and now I come bearing the gift of side stories. Not all of these are from Setsuna's POV. **_

_**To start off I wanted to delve into the mind of Hinotori, her Zanpakuto spirit and her thoughts during certain events of the story. This is 20 short moments in her life - including a very very small peak at what's to come.  
**_

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_Not Mine_

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**The Blade Speaks  
**

1.

The first thing that Hinotori knows - opening her eyes to a burnt and desolate forest-scape, is that she is loved.

2.

The next thing she knows - as she cries out into the woods and no one answers, is that while she might be loved, she is not known.

3.

Setsuna is everything Hinotori never knew she needed. The two of them stare at each other before Hinotori tips forward in a rush to hug her.

4.

Hinotori knows that Setsuna loves Byakuya before Setsuna does. During one of their early training sessions Setsuna ends up crying, and in a rare bout of compassion Byakuya hugs her.

A pink flower blooms on the tree next to where she sits and waits out her days.

5.

There is nothing that Hinotori won't do for Setsuna. So when the girl searches for the words to unlock the hidden potential that lays dormant inside of her…. that is the first time Hinotori lies.

6.

Kenji is kind and compassionate. Where Byakuya is cold and distant, Kenji is not afraid to crack jokes.

The trees in the forest that Hinotori call home never bloom for him.

7.

Bankai is hard for someone who has not fully mastered shikai. Hinotori champions it anyway.

8.

When Kenji betrays Setsuna Hinotori feels nothing. When she knocks into him and smacks him into the dirt ground, she feels nothing either. In that moment she is not a child afraid, she is a woman aflame with anger.

9.

Only when Setsuna cries about all that she has lost and the Kenji that has changed, does Hinotori feel sadness.

10.

Hinotori loves Miya most. He is the brother she will never have, she wishes she were alive so they could go to restaurants and she could laugh at his jokes.

Sometimes she wonders though, if he would rather be her sister.

11.

Hinotori knows that Setsuna didn't want to do what she did to Rukia. That night her forest burns to the ground, cold flame licking up her trees.

12.

For a moment she rests. And then Kenji shatters everything. Of course he would side with Aizen.

13.

There is no one in the world Hinotori hates more than Kenji. She pushes herself until breaking so that Setsuna can kill him.

14.

Setsuna cries when Kenji dies. Hinotori does not.

15.

She cheers when Setsuna kisses Byakuya.

The tree blooms once more, but like all things in her forest it cannot stay.

16.

The moment she slips from Setsuna's grip during her fight with Aizen, Hinotori promises she will never do it again.

17.

For a long while she does nothing, instead she wanders the forest and dreams of the future. Of her whole forest in bloom.

18.

She is not around for Setsuna's marriage but that's okay, Setsuna chose the person who brought flowers to dead trees. That's all that matters.

19.

Her full shikai hurts Setsuna in ways that are painful to Hinotori. But she says nothing because her forest is turning to ash around her and Byakuya lays dying at their feet.

20.

Up in the sky realm - home of royal warriors, she learns the truth of who she is.

She is beautiful.

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**A/N: **So I decided to do this as a second story because the flow of the first story is important to me, and since these are less flashbacks and more side-stories they fit better in this frame.

**Reviews are helpful but not necessary. I understand that this is an OC. If that is not your cup of tea then do not leave a comment saying all OC's suck, that is not helpful and will not make me delete the story. I too understand that most OC's suck, and yet I write anyway**


	2. Five First Blushes

The Story of Bleach told through the eyes of one Hara Setsuna (most of the time), Captain of the 14th. As a Captain do not expect her to be all sunshine and roses. Byakuya/OC for some of these stories, the only other paring is OC/OC. **All Manga Spoilers are Now Live.**

I bet this wasn't the story update you were expecting! But here it is anyway - Another group of side stories - these told directly after Setsuna's marriage to Byakuya

Setsuna and Byakuya are married, together they explore each-others morning routines and learn to live together.

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_Not Mine_

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**Five First Blushes  
**

1.

On the first day of their newly married life, Setsuna is the one to wake up first. A nightmare clinging to the back of her brain. As wakefulness comes, the fear of it fades. She has always been a light sleeper, a holdover from her days traveling inside Rukongai and having to be aware of her surroundings - even when asleep. All these years and it's something she's never been able to fully shake. As her eyes blink open into the dark room she has to take a moment's pause to remember where she is. The pillow under her head unfamiliar and soft - made of the finest of silks. The fabric ruffles and shifts as she tries to orient herself. After all, this is not the worn pillow she is used to back at her smaller home. As her eyes adjust to the dark she is finally able to remember where is, and who she is.

Kuchiki Setsuna sits up, and across from her Byakuya turns over still asleep. She rubs her eyes and stands up, wrapping herself up the small silk robe that had been left for her before the night's activities had begun. As she does so Setsuna walks over to the shoji doors and pulls them open. A woman sits in a chair against the wall next to the door, she is awake and reading a book. As Setsuna opens the door she glances up and hurries to put the book down. The bow that follows is hasty but earnest and Setsuna smiles, "At ease."

"Yes my lady Kuchiki-sama," she pauses, "I was not expecting you up so soon. It is early yet and the sun is only being pulled from it's slumber. Is his lord Kuchiki-sama up yet?"

"No, not - " She's stopped mid-sentence by a shadow that falls over her.

He seems so casual standing in the door frame that she can scarcely believe that this is Byakuya. But they have had to be formal with each other since they had become Captains and moments of casual interaction had grown sparse. This man staring at her, sleep in his eyes is the small boy whom she had befriended as a child. He blinks a few times and then yawns into his hand, "Come back to bed."

"I'm afraid it's too late for me. I'm already awake, and I doubt I could sleep again so easily." She tells him.

"Hm." He stares at the woman, "Tell the kitchen we will take breakfast early then."

"Of course Kuchiki-sama." She takes her leave of them.

When Setsuna re-enters the bedroom she is surprised to find it lit already, and a pair of men working to put away their bedding. They work swiftly and while they do Byakuya turns to her, "Best not leave your lady maids waiting." As he says this she notices two women, one of them who helped with her wedding - waiting for her near her private bathroom.

"I will see you at breakfast then."

She turns to join the two women but before she can do so Byakuya has reached forward to bring her to him, and begins kissing her rather soundly. If you were to ask her later she would say that the whole thing was rather romantic but honestly Setsuna is too stunned to do anything but remember to kiss back for just a few moments before his body withdraws from her own, "Wha -"

"I needed to prove something to myself." He tells her.

"And did you prove it?" She teases him lightly.

"I did. I am free to love you, and kiss you without consequences. I am glad of it."

That makes her blush hotly, "Jerk."

Hearing her say that earns her a stare from him, but it is not cold, instead it is questioning. Around them a few people gasp and turn to look at the two of them, but when they see that the lord of the house is not bothered they begin to realize that they shouldn't be either. Their stares eventually return slowly to the ground, "And that?"

"I wanted to prove something to myself too."

"And did you prove it?" He parrots her own words back to her.

"I did. I am free to love you, and be the Setsuna that you knew when we were young without consequences. I am glad of it. Now I believe my ladies await."

As she turns Setsuna is reminded of the fact that she will have little time here. After breakfast she will do a quick return to her barracks, and then she will have to return to her assigned duty of watching Ichigo. With that in the back of her mind she makes note of it to make this breakfast worth it, and to draw out the leaving for as long as she can.

2.

The second time she awakens she almost hits Byakuya, arm going out to strike at his face as he is hovering next to her, watching her sleep. His quick reflexes stop her, and she's glad of it - to have hit him not three days after his fight with the fullbringer Tsukishima would have shamed her infinitely. But she has always been afraid of hurting people, and Miya knows better than to surprise her like this when she's sleeping. However, all of this is new to them and there is no way that Byakuya could have known she would react in such a way, "Sorry." She whispers sheepishly.

"I couldn't have known, is it from before?" He means from when she was a young child in Rukongai.

"Yes." She says, "I would often find Hunters leering over me when I woke. I learned to strike first and ask questions later. A hundred years later and it is still not trained out of me."

"I will take that into consideration." He says.

That bridge crossed and explained, she now wonders what he was doing. Why he had been staring at her so intensely when he had woken. She had never had the time to spend the night with Kenji, so she had never woken to find him staring at her like she has with Byakuya. His face had seemed deep in thought but not unkind, instead his eyes had almost seemed soft, "Was there something wrong with my appearance?" She asks him.

"No. Nothing wrong, I wanted to confide with myself that you are here, and that you are real."

"I am real." She soothes.

"You are."

3.

It's late then when she awakens, sun already streaming into their shared room. But the bed next to her is empty. There is a depression where Byakuya had once been not so long ago, but the spot is cold speaking to how long ago he had left. Setsuna sits up and her hair falls over her shoulders wild and in knots. She walks to the vanity unashamed of her nakedness - there is no one here in this room to judge her. Once seated she brushes the kinks out bit by bit until her hair starts to tame itself. Then she picks up a small bottle of lavender oil and massages it into her strands. When it is done her hair is glossy and the smell pleasing to anyone who would cross her path. Entering her private rooms she dresses leisurely, and with little haste. Today is a working day yes, but the stack of paper on her desk is small and will be easy to work through. Instead she wishes to take her time, to instead savor the day as it is now before rushing to meet Miya who will undoubtedly be filled with vigor and noise.

Outside of the shoji door her ladies maids wait, and upon her exit they walk behind her to the kitchen. Instead of the emptiness she was expecting she finds Rukia at the table eating a bowl of rice delicately. Cooks busy about the room to set the table to for her as soon as she crosses the threshold of the entryway. Her ladies maids hover behind her at the door and she wonders if she will ever get used to this.

As she comes in the young woman looks up, eyes a little surprised to no longer be eating alone, "Kikuchi Tai - er Hara - no, ah." She seems to be floundering for how to start.

"Hara Taichou is okay for now, until you are more comfortable with something else and as so not to confuse ourselves."

"Yes of course!" She passes Setsuna a bowl of rice and the pot of tea, "I wasn't expecting to have company. Nii-sama is out doing head of house things so I thought it was just me."

So that is where he was. Setsuna finds she cannot be too upset, "Neither was I." Setsuna sits next to her sister, and isn't that an odd thought, "I had expected the house empty."

"I finished all my paperwork yesterday." Rukia says by way of explanation, "What little of it there is to do. Kiyone-san and Sentaro-san like to complete it for me without my say so. I think it's to try to prove themselves to Ukitaka Taichou." She shrugs, "So here I am."

"I am glad to have the company. The two of us don't speak often, despite sharing your brother."

"We should!" Rukia says excitedly, "Renji and I are going to leave to see Ichigo today, you should come Hara Taichou."

At that Setsuna can't help but laugh, Rukia seems so earnest in her speech. Still, she too has paperwork to do and unlike Ruika and her shadow does not have time to run off to The World of the Living for friendly visits. The smile on Rukia's face makes her seem even more youthful and it reminds Setsuna of why perhaps then she hasn't sought the girl out. Even though it has been almost over two years, it still seems so close - the image of Rukia strung up high upon a hill. Instinctively Setsuna knows that no matter what suggestion she had given Rukia would have been punished, but she sometimes feels responsible. What makes it worse is that often times she knows she would not take it back. Laws had to be obeyed. What she does regret though is the pain and trauma that it had caused Rukia - the woman who would become her sister. Her face sobers, "Rukia -"

"Yes?"

"About your execution -"

"Nii-sama said you were just doing what had to be done." Rukia rushes it all out in one breath, and Setsuna becomes acutely aware that Rukia doesn't really want to talk about it, "Just like he was - but… he's Nii-sama you are not."

"No, I am not."

"Still, that was your job. You are family and a Taichou."

It's not an I forgive you, but it will do Setsuna decides, "Thank you. Rukia."

The room descends into comfortable silence, and when their meal is done the two sisters stand up and help each other clear the table.

4.

One morning she wakes and finds Byakuya in front of the vanity struggling with his kenseikan and she walks over to help him. Even he is not perfect Setsuna has learned, and this scene is not a new one to her anymore. Together they are able to collectively get them settled in the right place and he looks at her, his eyes warm, "Thank you."

"You are welcome." She answers.

The last time she had tried to help him with this he had recoiled Setsuna remembers. But things are so very different now and she is thankful for that. Thankful for what they have and how they fit together. It is not perfect of course - less than a day or so after their return from returning Ichigo's powers they had argued about his use of his zanpakuto in his fight. She had insisted that he needed to re-train himself but he had not listened. It had frustrated her and eventually she had come to understand that the frustration was born of fear. She had not been afraid during the battle, confident in her husband's ability but once the conflict was over and she had time to think on what it meant that he might be out of sync with his inner spirit her nerves had gotten the best of her. Apologies had been forthcoming from both of them, "I am glad you chose me. I do not know what I would have done if you had not." Byakuya confesses.

"I could not have chosen anyone other than you." Setsuna says.

She picks up a brush and brushes through his hair in awe of how soft it is, how soft it always is, "No matter what happens in the future I got to have these few moments with you." Byakuya tells her.

"Don't say that." Setsuna chides.

"I had been in love with you for longer I think, than you were with me. I hid it behind tea dates, and polite conversation but it bleed through."

This isn't true and Setsuna knows it, perhaps he had come to know what his feelings were before her but Setsuna had been in love with him since they were little. Kenji had know this to be true, but Setsuna had not been able to admit it to herself afraid that admitting it would mean that she would love Kenji less. This was silly of course, you could love people differently and for different reasons and no matter how deeply she loved Byakuya he was unobtainable and had been, for a time - in love with Hisana. She would not have left Kenji. That he had thought it though, was all that had mattered in the end, "My love for you has been a slow thing, and perhaps you realized it sooner but I had been in love with you almost from the very start I think." She says.

Setsuna puts the comb down and smiles at him in the mirror. His eyes show their contentedness back and they stay like that for a while. Looking at the reflection they make, a puzzle finally complete.

5.

So many mornings in and Setsuna realizes that she never wakes before Byakuya. The first night was a fluke - brought about by nightmares and fears. Fears that Byakuya's presence has helped soothed if only for a little bit. Knowing that he wakes before her frustrates Setsuna for some odd reason, perhaps she thought herself the most prompt out of the Captains in the morning - the most driven to get to work and start the day. Or perhaps it is because it means that she never gets to see the way he looks when he sleeps, unguarded and open. So one night she decides that she will wake before him again - no matter the cost. It takes a fair bit of planning, by the fourth morning of attempting it and failing she's sure he's caught on but it doesn't deter her. Instead it makes her more driven to see it through. Finally she's left with no other option to enlist help. It takes a fair bit of chocolate, and laughter at her expense to convince Rukia to help her. But the girl she finds is up for it, even it means going against her brother.

A few days later Rukia finds her and hands over Byakuya's full daily schedule compiled without holes. Setsuna isn't sure how she managed it in such a short time, but decides it's better left unquestioned and so sets about finding the best day to wake up first. Two days later, she achieves victory - not a nightmare in sight. And oh if it isn't worth it.

Sleep de-ages Byakuya by years. Not enough that he looks like the young teenager she remembers so fondly from their childhood, but enough that she's startled by it. In sleep he looks peaceful, unworried by what the day may bring - the stressful meetings he may have to deal with. She admires him as long as she possibly can and then, as softly as she can as so not to disturb him, slips out of bed. Moving around the room as swiftly as possible she pulls out the small tea set the servants keep tucked away in the corner, and sets it up herself. As she does the shoji slides open and a sleepy Rukia glides in with a pot of hot water. Setsuna thanks her in a hushed whisper and Rukia is able to exit the room swiftly, just as Byakuya begins to stir. He wipes the sleep out of his eyes and then looks at Setsuna who is sitting across from him pouring tea, "Ah. Congratulations." Pride is in his voice.

"I was not without help."

He sits up and takes the cup of tea that she offers him, "Rukia I presume."

"You presume correctly." She says

"The tea is spectacular by the way." He tells her.

"Ukitake Taichou helped me pick it out. He was the only one I could talk about this non-suspiciously save Miya, and all Miya knows is his drink." This she says fondly and Byakuya knows she means no ill will toward her lieutenant of many years.

"So then, may I inquire as to why you wanted to wake up first?"

He may but Setsuna isn't quite sure of the answer, she just knows that she needed to. Wanted to catch him as unguarded as he had caught her many a time. So often she wakes and he is gone or he is there watching over her, or even sometimes he has had breakfast brought to them already pouring her tea and sipping on miso. The conglomeration of things that brought her to this moment was perhaps just too many to name, instead she answers simply, "Because I love you."

And that answer seems more than satisfactory. When Byakuya's lips upturn, just a tick - just enough that Setsuna knows it to be a smile, she knows that it's the correct answer. She answers his smile with her own, and the two of them drink tea in comfortable silence.

* * *

**A/N:** While this story is obviously about Setsuna and Byakuya I think 3 is my favorite moment only because it explores something that I don't get to explore, mostly due to time constraints and finding no place in the plot where it fits - which is the relationship between Rukia and Setsuna.


End file.
